Like Stockholm
by TechnoNebula
Summary: In a world where the First Contact War started later and lasted longer than it originally had, a military raised civilian Jane Shepard is kidnapped and held hostage by a group of Turian special-ops. AU, Eventual Shakarian.
1. Prologue: Bait

**Prologue: Bait**

_"I got soul, but I'm not a soldier."_

-The Killers, _All These Things I've Done_

* * *

There were many reasons as to why Jane Shepard never accompanied her brother when he went off to join the Alliance. The brutal training was one; the constant bureaucracy was another. There was one thing though that caused her to firmly deny ever joining the military organization, and that was what the most militaries brought: death. Pointless bloodshed that was to ultimately follow anything related to war. It was simple ; yet it was something her brother and her parents never completely understood. How could the daughter of two of the most successful military officers not follow the lead of the rest of her family?

Most had expectations of her becoming a promising warrior, but the redhead refused to succumb to their ideals. At an age to where she was certain of her own thoughts, military training was quickly dropped and replaced with fastidious studying. At the beginning of her rebellion, Jane's parents were resistant to the idea of their daughter becoming a helpless civilian. Over time though they came to realize Jane was resilient in her endeavours and eventually gave up on coaxing a military career out of her. John, her brother, never quite gave up on her. No, the boy was persistent in getting his sister to at least take up a job as a field medic if nothing else. It wouldn't be until ten odd years later that the dark-haired man finally dropped the subject altogether.

Though her family was reluctant of her leaving the military way of life that they all held dear, they grew to accept her decision. Jane, in an attempt of pacifying her worrisome kin, offered a compromise of at least continuing to hone the skills she had gained during her youth.

Now Jane hadn't particularly regretted her decision of not becoming a well-known soldier. Not until it was too late anyway.

* * *

The day had been relatively normal. Jane was tired, as per usual considering her job, and was currently reclining on couch inside her snug apartment in Vancouver. Her feet were propped on the small coffee table sitting in front of her couch; her hands folded behind her head. The red-haired woman gave a heavy and relieved sigh. She knew she should-be been off grading the papers of her high school students' essays, but she couldn't find it in herself to get off the couch and head to the data pads strewn on her counter.

Yes, the glorified daughter and sister of the Alliance's golden family was an ordinary History teacher at the local high school.

Jane was pleased with the career choice she had made, even if she knew she could have aimed for a higher paying job, considering the impressive grades she had made in school. She was content though. All the woman had wanted was a 'normal' life, not one full of going from space station to space station, or one in some far off and exotic colony. Jane had just wanted to find a nice little flat up in her parent's birth country and to settle down. She figured that even if she had aspired for some other glorified job though, she would not have been content. At least not in the sense she was now.

The woman was snapped out her pleasant haze by the sound of the communication device attached to her wrist beeping, alerting her that her brother was attempting to call her. Jane sighed and shifted until she was sitting up straight and tapped the watch like object, an annoyed expression plastered on her face.

"What is it John? I was finally just about to relax, so this better be important."

"Jane," His voice sounded strained yet relieved. She noted his breathing was also sped up more than what it normally would have been if he had been casually sitting at home.

"What's wrong?" she asked, her own voice growing somber at the tone her brother had used.

"Where are you right now?" He demanded, casting aside his sister's inquiry.

"In my apartment, why? What's going on, John?"

"You need to stay right where you are, you hear me? Do not leave under any circumstance. Someone's coming to get you out of there."

"What do you mean? What is go- John? John, are you there?" Jane scowled at the communication device. She tapped at an icon indicating that the call had abruptly lost connection. The redhead felt worry flutter in her stomach like a pack of rabid butterflies as she stood up from her couch and made her way to a large floor to ceiling window. The shudders that had been obscuring the sun's dying rays were pulled apart, revealing a scene that shocked her.

The city was in a full-blown panic. People were running and screaming loud enough that Jane could hear their frantic cries of panic from even her sound proof window that was four stories off the ground. The rabble was just one piece to the scene though. What also caught her attention was the multitude of ships poised around the tops of Vancouver. Guns were pointed toward the masses below, leading the woman to believe this was no benign invasion. And she was proven right when bullets were shot continually down at the civilians corralled down below. Screams of pain haunted Shepard's ears as she back away from the window horrified. Only one thought played in her mind as she scrambled to her room.

The turians were here.

The alien race that had warred with the human race for at least a good two years now. Most people were surprised when the bird like race had confronted with host intent when a group of cruisers that had exited one of the mass relays that had been recently discovered. Most were also caught off guard by the fighting that soon broke out. Jane had been one of those people. She dreaded that it would get worse; that her family would soon be dragged into the conflict. She was filled with an dread when her fears were dragged into reality. The dispute soon evolved into a full blown war. It was obvious the turians had not expected such resistance from what they had known to be a rather young and inexperienced space faring race. When the Alliance had continued to attack, the turians were caught off guard as good number of their troops had turned up critically injured and some even killed. That didn't mean they didn't retaliate the death of their comrades ten fold.

Jane had thought the alien species had not known of the Alliance's home planet, or of where one of their more populated headquarters was stationed. The invasion happening now told her that she had obviously thought wrong.

The woman quickly headed to her closet once she had entered her room. She yanked open the closet's door and then began to frantically search for the gun her brother had given to her as a housewarming gift. Jane then quickly searched for some heat sinks, giving a shaky breath of relief when she came across a full one. Her hands trembled as she struggled to place the ammo inside the gun. Once she was sure the weapon was off of safety, Jane stood on wobbling legs and walked to the opposite side of the room. Her back pressed firmly into the wall, praying the structure's cold surface would help her calm down and clear her head. As she forced herself to breathe in and out in a deep intervals, she continued to listen to the horrid symphony of gunshots and screams. Her mind was torn. The logical thing to do right would be to wait for the back up her brother had promised. Yet instincts screamed for the woman to get out of the building and find a place to bunker down and hide.

She didn't get a choice to act on either decision.

A banging sounded from downstairs along with loud voices and panicked yelling. Jane forced herself not to think of what was going on down there, and instead grasped the gun tighter in her shaking hands. She took a deep breath and squeezed her eyes shut briefly before opening them once more and made her way toward her bedroom door, making sure the wall was pressed reassuringly against her back. Rumbles of heavy steps reverberated around the building, signifying that someone was coming up the old-fashioned way: by the stairs. The pounding was much like a clock's ticking, a constant reminder of how much time Jane had until it ran out.

When she reached the junction between her door and hallway, she swiftly darted into the living room and then into the kitchen. The high walls of the kitchen gave her solice that if someone came bursting through the door guns blazing, she would have some protection. Of course, she still hoped and prayed that the uneasy feeling in her gut was wrong and the being running up the stairs would be an Alliance officer and not a turian. The chances of that were slowly dwindling though seeing as she highly doubted the atrocious cries of fear and pain echoing around her were the products of a potential saviour.

Her heartbeat sped up tenfold as she heard voices just outside her room. She tried to calm herself, she tried to remember the training she had all those years ago. It was to no avail though. Her increasing panic continued to slowly take over her mind, breathing, and heart.

She stayed crouched and watch as the flimsy door was hacked into and opened. She quickly moved to where the cabinets beside her became pressed to her back. Her hand flew to her mouth in an attempt at stifling the sound of her breathing. The figures at the door were definitely not human.

The turians at her door wore their full armor, including the helmet that hid their faces. One of the aliens made a motion that caused the two other turians beside it to head into the apartment. "Search the place. I don't want to miss anyone." The voice of the leader of the trio, due to the translator, had a weird tinge to it.

Jane resisted the urge to whimper as the two other aliens fanned out in the flat. They nosed through her belonging, overturned furniture, and broke a few vases in their quest for any sentient life. When they came closer to her hiding place, the redhead scooted as quietly as she could away from them. Her lip was caught by her teeth as she forced herself not to make any noises when one of the turians passed overhead.

They seemed to be almost done. That's what it appeared to be anyway until she scooted the wrong way and caused one of the buttons on her pants to scrape loudly against the tiled floor. Jane whispered a curse and froze.

One of the turians paused and swiftly turned around. His ominous gaze scanned the room as he made his way to the kitchen. Jane prepared herself for when the alien came around the corner, his rifle held loosely in his grasp.

That grip tightened though and his earlier relaxed posture become tense when he caught sight of the redhead scrambling up to her feet. Her own gun was pointed at the him, but Jane highly doubted the trained soldier was scared of her.

"Found one!" the turian alerted the others in his odd voice. The other two beings in the room appeared, their weapons already raised threateningly at the civilian.

"Huh, she looks familiar," One of the turians said as he inched closer.

"She does," another turian agreed, a perplexed tone coloring his voice.

The leader took a few steps forward, his gun pointed at where her heart would've been. "What is your name?"

Jane's eyes darted around the current situation, calculating her odds of getting out of here alive and not a prisoner. It wasn't looking good. She tightened her grip (if that was even possible) on her pistol and shakily retorted,"Why do you care?"

One of the aliens snorted. "Answer the damn question before you get killed."

Jane felt her mouth go dry at the very real idea of the soldiers just killing her with no remorse. She figured she shouldn't look this gift horse in the mouth and just answer to prolong whatever life she had,"Jane."

"Surname."

Jane hesitated. "Shepard."

That drew a reaction. The turians stiffened and all of them aimed their weapons at the civilian. Jane took a step back, her legs shaking beneath her.

"I knew she looked familiar."

"What do you want to do, captain?"

The two other turians looked over at the one in the middle, the captain. His helmet obscured his face, but Jane knew the expression hidden underneath was one of thoughtfulness. A few tense seconds passed before he answered. "Capture her. She might be of use as a hostage...get an upper hand against Shepard."

One of the other turians' head moved to Jane's form. He quickly went over to her and reached to grab her arm. Jane, not one to go down so easily, twisted away from the alien's appendage. Her body then ducked as the turian went for her again and quickly darted to the opening behind her that led to the living room. Her plight was swiftly stopped though when a gunshot was fired and a bullet barely grazed past her cheek. Jane's balance faltered when she felt a stinging sensation on her cheek. She hissed as she crashed into the wall and brought up her hand. Her fingers brushed past blood.

While she was distracted by her minor flesh wound, the turian from before lunged at Jane and tightly grabbed her arm. Jane yelped at the hard grip and futilely tried to pry her arm away from the three finger grasp. "Stop resisting," ordered her captor as he twirled her around, bending her arm behind her back while doing so. Jane growled at the rough treatment and tried to buck the male off of her. She was quickly stopped when she felt a hard hit to her neck. Her body fell limp and her mind escaped into oblivion.

* * *

_I gotta plot bunny. It refused to be caged. Thus this was born._

_Since this is _obviously_ gonna be AU, there are not going to be any Reapers. Nope. Instead my main focus of this story will be the relationship between Fem!Shepard and Garrus. This isn't my main story, but at the moment, I have tons of ideas...I also plan on this being not too long, but we'll see how it works out._

_Please feel free to help me find any mistakes in the story, I appreciate it ^^_

**Feedback **helps me work faster C:


	2. One: A Plotting Mind Never Tires

**I. A Plotting Mind Never Tires**

_"I see right through you any hour."_

-Blue Foundation, _Eyes on Fire_

* * *

Jane bit her bottom lip in an attempt to stifle a hiss of pain. Her head was pounding in tune with her heartbeat, something that caused extreme discomfort as she found herself regaining consciousness. After a few moments of riding out the migraine ravaging her brain, the redhead squinted her eyes open. The dim lighting coming from somewhere above her caused her head to burst into another wave of agony. Her vision was blurry, and she was just barely able to make out the high ceiling hanging over her. The object she was laying on, possibly a cot, rocked precarious under her as she shifted her weight so she could prop her elbow up to see her surroundings better.

Green orbs roved around the cell, taking in how dreary it appeared. A lone strip on the ceiling produced the faint light that had previously shone into her eyes; it also revealed the rest of the room to be rather bare. Off to the side in the furthest corner away from her sat a toilet with a small sink hanging beside it. The floors were barren of any other articles of furniture besides the ones mentioned. Her eyes trailed over to the dark, oppressive walls that looked as if they were looming over her; almost caging her in. Only one thing truly stood out to her though, and that was that one of the walls appeared to be made entirely of some type of glass-like material, looking more like a window than a wall. The window-like wall unveiled a dark and desolate corridor with no living beings in sight. It made the hair on her neck rise as she thought of all the terrible things that could be lurking within the shadows smothering the window's perimeter.

Her body protested when she sat up further; her free hand came up and cradled her head. Jane closed her eyes as another wave of the migraine engulfed her being. Figuring she could reduce painful headaches by drinking some water from the sink, she flung her legs over the side of her cot and readied herself to get up. Her bare feet pressed hesitantly against the cold ground, testing it to see if some unknown trap lay in wait. Nothing sprung out at her and no obnoxious noises sounded, so the woman figured she was probably safe to stand up. Her legs shook slightly as she allowed her full weight to rest on them. Taking a deep breath, the redhead took a step forward. When her legs didn't buckle under her, she took a few more until she arrived at the sink. Her hands rested on both sides of the basin and she leaned slightly on it to relieve her unsteady legs. A hand reached out and quickly turned on the tap. The tap sputtered out a few drops of liquid due to under use before spitting out a clear stream of lukewarm water. Jane angled her body over the sink and cupped both her hands under the spritz. When the water filled up the space of her cupped palms, she splashed her face. Her eyes clenched shut as the liquid ran over over them and dripped steadily down her cheeks. She quickly scrubbed at her skin, ridding the organ of the salt residue left over from sweat. She repeated this process a few more times before leaning fully over the sink and slurping at the water. It tasted stale, but she sort of expected that seeing as she was drinking from a sink and all.

Tendrils of wet hair hung around her face when she finally moved back from the sink. She wiped at the dribbles of water sliding down her chin and made her way back to her cot.

It wasn't until she sat down onto the bed that she allowed her mind to be flooded by the thoughts of her current predicament. A strangled sob unexpectedly burst from her as she fully started to grasp the situation. Her head became cradled in her hands, muffled tears racking her body. Only a few hours ago (she could only hoped it had only been hours) she had been lazing around on her couch procrastinating the need to grade essays. Now here she was sitting in a cell after being kidnapped by an alien species humanity had been warring with for the past two years.

Rumors heard in passing about the ruthless species slowly trickled into the redhead's mind. Rumors of how what humans were spared from death by turian hands soon wished to be killed due to the cruel nature of their imprisonment. To say she didn't possibly believe them now would be the understatement of the century. Jane knew the turians would hold no remorse if they tortured her, and most likely, killed her. Not even her gender or her civilian status would save her if the slaughtering on the streets earlier were any indication.

"I see you're finally awake."

Jane jerked her head when she heard the muffled murmur. Her eyes quickly darted to the direction she had heard the voice, and emerald irises met with luminous blue. A pale silver turian stood on the opposite side of the window with his hands folded behind his back. The alien had a fringe and mandibles pieces that stretched back a fair distance away from his head,making him appear more unique than the pictures the redhead had seen of standard turians. His piercing bright blue eyes looked like they belonged more to a cunning predator and less to a sensible sentient being. Something about that predatory gaze caused her to shudder in fright. She couldn't really tell, but it looked as if the male had smirked when he noticed her body's involuntary movement. If his cocky stance was anything to go by, she was probably right.

"What?" She finally croaked out, internally wincing at how rough and unused her voice sounded. She cleared her throat and tried to wipe at her her eyes as subtly as she could.

The male harrumphed at the human's action, faintly recalling that the liquid pouring from her eyes was a sign of emotional weakness. It highly amused him that the the sniffling female before him was already frazzled and nothing had truly happened to her. It only reminded him that humans truly were weak and far too fragile.

"I merely stated that you were finally awake. You'd been out for a while now," stated the silver turian as he started to pace the length of the window.

"How...how long exactly?" Jane knew it was a long shot that the being before her would actually answer her question honestly, but the inquiry had been gnawing at her.

The pale turian inclined his head to the woman. A sardonic light gleamed in his eyes as he chuckled darkly, choosing not to answer her. Instead a palpable silence descended; it almost physically choked Jane at how tense it felt. The turian continued pacing, his eyes probing the redhead's form, searching for something that obviously wasn't there.

Jane shifted at the attention, feeling uncomfortable at how invasive his eyes insinuated. Her hand rubbed at her cheek and her eyes looked downward, attempting to hide them from the alien's gaze.

"I wonder why they took you? You don't seem special. You're muscle mass appears to be average, maybe below average, suggesting you're no soldier. You don't look to be some eccentric scientist for the humans...so why did they take you? Spirits know we don't need frivolous prisoners taking up space in our brig.

The woman felt like she should have been insulted at how he talked to her as if she were a car at an auction show. She did feel a twinge of indignation, but what she primarily felt was horror at the thought she had been captured with the intention of gaining the upper hand against her brother and nothing else.

"No matter," the turian before he muttered without waiting for a reply. "I'll find out soon enough."

With those words said, the silver being stalked off; leaving a perturbed feeling to crawl into her stomach when she could no longer see him.

* * *

Nihlus Kryik was beyond exhausted when he was finally able to sit down at his desk in his quarters. His legs stretched fully out underneath his desk; his eyes becoming lidded as he allowed the rest of his muscles to go lax. The russet colored turian gave a large and pleased sigh when his thoughts became filled with the events of the day.

His plan had been a success; even more so if he counted the human female laying unconscious in the brig below his feet. Initially, he had meant to give a rather crushing blow to the humans' moral by attacking their own planet. Encountering the Alliance's most cherished soldier's sister had been a delicious bonus.

The white-faced turian gave a low chuckle. The defenses the species had set up had been truly pathetic compared to the technology the turians possessed. All Nihlus had to do was put on his ship's cloaking device and sit around until one of the people manning their stations on the near by moon slipped up and allowed an opportune moment for him to cruise on into the planet's atmosphere. From there, he followed coordinates one of his crew had filched and made his way to one of the Alliance's cities that contained their largest headquarters. That city had also just happened to contain Shepard's sister.

A hiss from the door opening jostled Nihlus out of his thoughts. The turian peeked open a sea foam eye to see Saren Arterius waltzing into the room, a neutral look planted on his face.

"Well hello, Saren, I wasn't expecting a visit from you so soon," remarked the red tinted turian as he sat up from his reclined position.

"I wasn't aware we'd be taking prisoners from this attack, Nihlus."

Nihlus stiffened at the accusation of his comrade. "We weren't," he replied in a cautious tone, his demeanor guarded as he stared steadily at Saren.

Saren placed his hands behind his back, his subharmonics hinting at impatience. "Then do explain why there's a human in the brig."

The russet alien was silent be for tersely saying,"She was an exception."

"Who is she then? Even you wouldn't be rash enough to abduct a useless human for no reason."

Nihlus' eyes narrowed slightly at the offhand insult. Saren was a dear friend and mentor to the turian, but there were instances such as now when the snobbish silver alien grinded on Nihlus' nerves.

It wasn't because of retribution though that the russet colored male found himself reluctant to respond. No it was because Nihlus wasn't sure if he should chance at telling his comrade who their special guest was. It was a well known fact that Saren and Shepard had seen a fair share of each other on the battlefield, and every single time they encountered one another they managed to have a showdown that ended with both side retreating. It was only expected that the silvery male would hold a grudge against the human that managed to evade death again and again.

It was also a well known fact that Saren liked getting even. He used any method he could,whether it was a dirty one or not. If he knew of the woman's true identity, Nihlus was pretty sure that the outcome of having his mentor gaining such knowledge would not bide well.

The expectant and annoyed hum of subharmonics caused Nihlus to make his decision.

"She's John Shepard's sister."

The reaction was immediate. Saren's eyes narrowed and an interested hum filled the air. He allowed his arms to go lax before making his way closer to his protege "Is that so? What was it you were planning on doing with her, hm?"

"I'm...not sure yet," admitted Nihlus, his eyes lowering down to stare with sudden interest at a datapad.

Saren's lucent eyes gleamed before the male turned and made his way to the door. He paused just before the door, ominously murmuring, "I suggest you find out sooner or later, Nihlus, because if she is no use to you, I wish for her to be disposed of, preferably by my hand."

Seafoam flickered up and clashed with bright sapphire. No words were needed as both males stared at one another, their eyes guarded as they tried to gauge each other's thoughts. Nihlus was soon left in solitude though when Saren looked away and disappeared through the sliding doors.

The russet colored male exhaled a large gust of air, his eyes darting down to his hands as his talons drummed on his desk. The rhythmic tapping was like a physical manifestation of his thoughts, quick and anxious. Fretful brooding covered his mind, what was Saren planning? Whatever it was, and if Nihlus knew his friend as well as he thought he did, he knew it wouldn't be good. His human hostage was in very real danger; he didn't need her dying on him before he figured out a precise plan that would revolve around her imprisonment.

An idea struck him, causing his index finger to pause in mid-air. He quickly lifted his hand and tapped at his omnitool, causing a face to appear on the object's screen. He gave a smirk at the name that blinked lazily under the face. Just the turian for the job he had in mind.

Buzzing filled the office before a flanging voice answered, "Yes, sir?"

"Vakarian, I have a task for you..."

* * *

_I'm glad so many of you are interested in this story! _

_I know this might seem choppy (to me it does anyway) but I promise I'll try to sort out the kinks as I move on. Feel free to help point out to me any mistakes and mishaps so that I can fix them._

_Feel free to ask questions or comment._


	3. Two: Unknown Factors

**II. Unknown Factors**

_"Of course the law is fountains_

_of face to face remorse._

_A fast and restless blackmail..."_

_-_Chevelle, _I Get It_

* * *

It had come as a surprise that the turians had known where one of the largest Alliance bases were located, but Ashley Williams, the Gunnery Chief for Commander John Shepard, had not thought they would be the to respond to the city's distress call. Their ship had been idle at the time of the attack, but they hadn't exactly been the closest soldiers in vicinity. She didn't mind too much about the rash decision to head back to the Sol System; actually she was eager to support it. All her enthusiasm for the supposed rescue was dropped though when she heard that instead of heading to Earth, they were setting course for the Arcturus Station.

The frantic mood Shepard had been emitting was something none of the crew had expected from the normally clear-headed commander. After John spouted out orders to head to one of the Mass Effect Relays, Ashley was able to confront him about the sudden decision to go to the Alliance's main station. She was given a rather rushed answer about how he needed to speak with the leaders of the Alliance, the Parliament. After the vague explanation, he turned and went back to giving orders.

_Shepard must be out of his mind if he's voluntarily asking for an audience with the Parliament._

John was known for having an immense dislike for many politicians; Ashley shared this opinion. So when they managed to dock on the station, she was less than thrilled when Shepard ordered her to accompany him.

"Ashley, are you coming?"

The woman snapped out of her musing. Her eyes darted from the wall she had been staring blankly at to see Shepard's head inclined at her. They had been waiting for nearly thirty minutes for the Parliament to allow an audience with them, and now it It seemed like they were finally ready. Shepard was slowly inching toward the large door, showing his impatience to speak with the diplomats inside.

"Yeah, Commander."

Kaidan, the other member of the three-man squad Shepard tended to bring with him, was waiting for them at the door. Shepard gave a nod of greeting to one of the guards stationed on the other side of the door before making his way further into the room. Ashley shadowed him; Kaidan joining at her side. The three soldiers' footsteps echoed in the cavernous room, loudly announcing their arrival.

The walkway they were on stopped near the end of the room; a raised platform with a long table was raised a few feet above it. At the table sat the Parliament leaders, four men and three women, and surrounding the perimeter of the room were rows and rows of empty seats. Ashley concluded that these empty seats would have normally been filled with representatives of Earth's nations and colonies. Now they just made the room appear more gaping.

Shepard stopped just a few feet from the edge of the walkway; his team just behind him. The Parliament members seated at the long table above them peered down with polite interest.

"To what do we owe the pleasure of your appearance, Shepard?" asked one of the women. She had fairly dark creamy colored skin, almost like mocha, and her hair was pulled back in a bun that looked way too tight to be very comfortable.

John gazed steadily up at the woman and answered her question in a voice that belied his current distress,"I wish to petition for a few soldiers to accompany me."

The Parliament seemed a bit shocked at the statement. Ashley knew it wasn't often that the John Shepard, or any Shepard still in active duty, asked for extra men. It was a well known fact that John liked his current crew, and tended to deny any additional personnel on his ship.

"Why would you need that? Don't you know we have our forces spread out thin enough already?" Udina, a particularly annoying diplomat, said with a frown fixed upon his face.

John and everyone else in the room knew this statement to be all too true. The commander's gaze hardened into emeralds and he curtly replied,"I have reason to believe the turians have taken a civilian."

Ashley's brow furrowed at the words spewing from her commander's mouth. Since when was that information ever reported? The rest of the Parliament were also a puzzled. One of the other members, a man with graying brown hair and pale skin, asked,"And why do you think that?"

It was obvious most everyone else was wondering the same thing.

Shepard was almost sheepish when he answered,"My sister...she has a wrist communicator...I put a chip into it that allows me to track her so I could keep an eye on her."

Ashley blinked. She had been aware the man had a sister and was close to her, but she didn't know he was that close to her. It explained his earlier behaviour though. Any older sibling close enough to their younger sibling would've been worried too if they'd heard an alien race had captured said sibling.

There were a few disbelieving snorts; Udina scoffed," You want us to send in a team so we can rescue one person, and that one person being your sister?"

One of the women shot Udina a rebuking look before turning her gaze toward the three soldiers below. "I understand you'd want to rescue your sister, Shepard, but you must realize, this is only one person. We can't just waste our resources like that. I know you understand this; why try?"

"Because she can be used as a leverage against us. I...kept most of the information from her, but she still knows some details...and she is also a close connection to me, my mother and my father. You know the turians, they won't let her civilian status affect their treatment of her. They'll interrogate her, and she will most likely not have the strength to resist giving information."

"I highly doubt she knows enough to give anything away, Shepard," sneered Udina.

"So you're just going to let them keep a_ civilian? _One that has only been taken because she's _my sister_?"

"Shepard," Steven Hackett, one of the veteran admirals of the Alliance, murmured with a hint of sympathy coating his voice,"I understand you're upset, but you must realize, this is war. There are sacrifices to be made."

The room was silent as Shepard grew tense with his jaw clamped firmly shut. Ashley studied her commander, waiting for any other reaction to occur.

When the pregnant pause ceased, Shepard's voice was icily calm,"I understand." He gave a salute to the Parliament. "That was all that I wished to discuss. Me and my team will be taking our leave now."

Without waiting for a reply, the man turned and stalked out of the room, his soldiers loyally following after him

* * *

Garrus Vakarian, with what little patience he could muster, waited beside the door that would lead out of the ship. His body was leaning against the wall; his arms crossed so he wouldn't fidget with them. His visor twinkled around his eye, informing him of all the heat signatures just out of his normal eye sight.

The sounds of the turian battleship draped around him, soothing his frazzled nerves marginally. He wouldn't be so wound up if it weren't for the fact his commanding officer had ordered him to do something he'd rather not do. He had to personally watch over a _human prisoner_.

The blue faced turian wasn't used to babysitting war prisoners. No he was used to tinkering with the ship's gun and going out on brief skirmishes. Even before the war when he worked for the Citadel's Security force, C-Sec, he had only investigated the crime happenings and occasionally captured the crooks involved with his current case. But to watch over those criminals? No, he left that to his colleagues.

An order was an order though, and despite his normally impulsive and rebellious nature, Garrus would rather not stir up trouble.

The movement of an odd but familiar heat signature appeared on his visor and alerted the turian that his charge was on its way to being delivered to him. Behind the heat signature, Garrus caught sight of what he assumed was the human's guard at the moment.

It took but a few seconds before the human and its guard, Garrus was faintly surprised when the guard turned out to be Nihlus himself, were in his natural eyesight.

The human looked extremely out of place compared to the avian beings surrounding her (or he assumed it was female since the sapient's figure was different compared to the humans previously encountered). Her skin was vulnerable looking, and seemingly unblemished save for darker colored spots dotting her face and arms. Her clothing was also torn in some places and had a wrinkled look about them. Her fringe, a fiery red, stood out the most compared to the rest of her. The odd thing hung limp around her face, obscuring most of it.

He couldn't tell what emotions were swirling within her due to her face being turned and him not being that skilled with human body language. If he took a guess though, Garrus would suspect the female was uncomfortable, but not...panicky, something that was uncommon for civilians caught in circumstances such as this.

Nihlus continued on past Garrus, motioning with his head for the turian to follow him. The door hissed open and the trio stepped out onto a walkway the warship was docked on. The human grew even more rigid at the sight of turian workers crowded around the dock.

Garrus' superior briskly led them through the throng of people, garnering curious and often hostile stares due to the prisoner. The crowd soon gave plenty of space to the party, all cautious. This station was known to house prisoners of war, but these turians were probably used to droves of humans in beaten armor rather than a harmless looking civilian.

A door led them to an elevator and to the lower levels of the station. Once the elevator stopped, the trio continued stepped out. There was less people scattered around, and after a few twists and turns Nihlus stopped a door located in a desolate hallway. Garrus watched in sudden suspicion as the reddish alien scanned the corridor they were in before entering in a code that opened the previously locked door. The whisper of released pressurized air was almost deafening in the odd silence of this section of the station. Nihlus nudged the human inside, and glanced over at Garrus.

The blue faced turian obeyed the tacit command and entered. The room appeared to be an apartment, albeit bare of any extravagant decor. A couch and cot leaned against one wall while a sterile kitchen sat on the other. A hallway was straight across from the door, hinting that there was more to the apartment. The human was just off to the side of the door; stubbornly on the dark wall in front of her. The cuffs on her wrists cast shadows around the otherwise gloomy room.

Nihlus followed in after him, pressing a button on the wall that closed the door and activated the lights. His face was stoic as he walked further into the apartment and to the kitchen. It wasn't until he turned around to face Garrus with his hands behind his back that he spoke,"I will bring food for you and her in a few hours. In the meantime, I advise you keep an eye on her at all times. Don't go outside, I don't want people knowing we've brought her here."

Garrus gave a nod of affirmation. "Yes, sir."

Both of the turians' gazes flickered to the human, appraising her current demeanor. The female had not moved an inch since entering, and she had kept her eyes focused on the walls; a pensive look across her face. Garrus supposed the woman had a reason to be so stoic, seeing as she was a prisoner and all. What came as a surprise to him was that she had an almost unnerving lack of reaction. It was unusual to see a civilian so...calm.

Her own eyes met Garrus', causing the male to be a little taken aback at how much fury resided in her emerald orbs. Her gaze, almost challenging, flitted over his features, sizing him up. It was comical to him though that such a frail looking creature was looking at him like some defiant young prey animal at a much stronger predator. He allowed a small smirk to twitch at his mandibles before he broke off his stare.

"I will be back later then," Nihlus said. He gave Garrus one more stern stare and then made his way to the door and back into the hallway. The door this time slid shut behind him, locking in place with an almost too cheerful chirp.

Palpable silence covered the room like a suffocating blanking.

Both beings did not move, instead they took to scrutinizing one another. Time deemed it fit to be lackadaisical, so it Garrus was unsure how long it took before the red head before him turned and repositioned her weight on her legs.

The male gave something akin to a sigh before he attended to the kitchen. He shuffled around space, mindful of the sudden stare fixed upon him.

"Take a picture, it'll last longer."

Garrus heard a choking sound and glanced up. The woman's eyes were widened in what he assumed was surprise; her mouth agape. The expression as a whole looked so foreign that he gave a chuckle.

"Wha-what are you talking about?" She sputtered, struggling and failing to gain her composure.

"I figured since you're so enthralled by my good looks, you'd enjoy a picture as a souvenir."

Once the words were said, Garrus wished to take them back. He knew the statements he had made would've sounded like flirting, hell, _he_ even thought it sounded like he was flirting. It was disgusting really, now that he allowed his brain to register the last few seconds. Flirting...with a human._ Good going, Vakarian. _

"...I prefer humans, not birds."

It came as a surprise that she returned his banter, although a few seconds later than expected. He tried to continue with the semi-conversation, but when he opened his mouth the say something, the female had turned her back on him and made her way to the couch.

Well then.

Garrus would've frowned and snapped at the rude gesture if she had been turian. Since she wasn't, he dismissed the action and returned to his search for food; silently hoping this wasn't going to be a permanent thing. He didn't know how long he could keep himself in check if the human was just trying to antagonize him.

* * *

Saren hated shore leave. It was something he rarely, if ever indulged in. He preferred constant battles and planning over waiting in some overpopulated city. There were much more important things for his time to be spent on rather than lounging in a noisy bar like he was now.

The silver male was restless, and sitting in a stool that just didn't seem to be getting any comfortable wasn't helping him. His claws itched to grab at a gun and dive into a heated battle. His mind swirled around with plots to his next move; he was eager to enact them.

The smell of alcohol and sweat was overpowering. His nose crinkled with distaste when an overzealous couple decided to bump past him. It was obvious from their scent and rather vocal sub-harmonics what they were planning on doing.

The other sounds around him were boisterous and pricked annoyingly at his hearing. Drunken soldiers exchanged tales of battles and bloodshed; turian men and women eyed each other, hinting to one another of their willingness to release tension. Conversations flowed in one ear and out the other filling the silence Saren was secretly lusting for.

Honestly, one would think Nihlus would at least consider Saren's own preferences when deciding a rendezvous point.

The silver turian's eyes flickered toward the entrance to the bar, silently willing for his late companion to arrive. It took a few minutes before Saren saw a russet hide sliding through the entrance. Unlike Saren, Nihlus had donned a pair of civvies, and would have blended in with the crowd if it weren't for his distinct clan marks and skin color.

"You're late," the paler of the two turians rumbled as Nihlus slid into a seat.

The russet turian signaled to the bartender for a drink before replying in a light tone,"I got stuck in traffic."

Saren gave Nihlus a deadpan look.

"Okay, fine, I got distracted. Sorry."

Saren didn't reply and instead waited as Nihlus grabbed at a drink the bartender had given him and took a swing. After a few more gulps, he turned to Saren.

"You don't want one?"

"I'd rather not have my judgement impaired."

The white-faced turian shrugged before finishing off his drink and slammed it none too gently onto the countertop. "I suppose you're wondering why I asked for you to meet me here."

"Yes. Now stop beating around the bush. I would like to leave this place as soon as possible. It smells terrible and it is entirely too loud."

NIhlus chuckled. "You always were intolerant of loud places, weren't you? Ironic really since you're constantly in fields of explosives and gunfire."

Saren's bright eyes narrowed dangerously.

"Fine, fine." The red turian shifted to face his friend. "I got an order from Palavan Command. They want someone to check out some human outpost and gather some data. I figured you'd be up for the job, considering you're so eager to leave this place."

"You couldn't tell me this earlier on the ship?"

"It's a mission I didn't want overheard by the majority of the crew, especially the ones I took on the attack. I need a clear headed soldier for this mission; you're the very definition of practical."

Saren was suspicious of the reasoning his colleague was claiming. It seemed too...staged. And the all too innocent tone Nihlus was using gave evidence to support his suspicion. But if Palavan Command truly did want this mission, he couldn't exactly refuse.

"Fine."

Nihlus gave a roguish smirk before ordering two more drinks.

"Good, now that that's settle, why don't we have a round or two?"

* * *

_I love you all. I really do. Hope you enjoy this chapter, and feel free to express your opinion. _


	4. Three: Days and Days, Nights and Nights

**III. Days and Days, Nights and Nights**

_" 'For a while' is a phrase whose length can't be measured. At least by the person who's waiting." _

― Haruki Murakami, _South of the Border, West of the Sun_

* * *

The room was dark. A ruby glow from the holo-lock illuminated the barest of outlines; caressing the furniture and the figure of her guard. The turian, from what she could tell, was fast asleep. He was impossibly still, and the only thing telling her he was alive was the fluttering of his mandibles every so often and a soft snore resounding from his chest.

After assuring herself that the alien was still unconscious, Jane turned back to a little portside window placed on the wall beside her. The same dark abyss of space she had seen repeatedly for the past few hours greeted her gaze. Every so often a ship would pass by, breaking the monotony of the billions of stars hanging suspended outside the window, but other than that, it was a sight Jane was growing to distaste. Every time she peered through the window, a small stab of longing would shoot through her, reminding her that somewhere out there was Earth, her home. The large expanse of stars only managed to further remind her of that fact.

The redhead heaved a tired sigh. Her body shifted until she was laying horizontal on the couch, allowing her head to rest of the couch's arm. Her eyes lidded themselves and her hand came up to rake through her hair in frustration.

A soft growl rumbled in her throat, personifying her restlessness. For the majority of the time since arriving in the sparse apartment, she had been still and watching. Those two things were almost taboo for the youngest Shepard. Constant movement and continuous noise were normal for her. This sitting and waiting while twiddling her thumbs was making her antsy.

She supposed she could've taken to the bait of conversation her guard had laid; she didn't want to give him the satisfaction of hearing her speak though. In her mind, that would have been one more tiny victory for the blue-faced male snoozing in the chair adjacent to her.

A sudden whirling sound followed by a gasp of air from the door caused Jane to bolt into an up right position. The hair on the back of her neck stood on end as she observed the red turian from before entering the room. In his grasp was a large and bulky bag.

The turian seemed to glide in the room, not at all hindered by the bag in his hands. Jane watched him, mistrust showing clearly in her emerald irises. Her previous captor did not acknowledge her though; instead he made his way to the kitchen and plopped the bag onto the counter. The male then proceeded to reach into the bag and grab at its contents, putting the items on the counter.

"I was wondering when you were going to come back."

The woman grew even more tense than she already was as she listened to the blue-faced turian to her right rise from his chair. Her eyes flickered over to watch as he made his way to the other alien.

"I see you brought food for the human. What is that? Some asari cuisine?"

The russet turian glanced at Jane's guard, his sea foam eyes appearing bored as he replied with a simple yes.

"How long will this last?"

"The asari I bought it from says a few weeks... 2 or 3 at the most. She'll have to eat once a day though if she wants it to last that long."

The blue faced turian nodded. "I'm guessing you'll be back around that time then?"

"Most likely."

The sound of rustling filled the apartment, signaling the end of the conversation.

Jane listened intently to the sounds of movement just beyond the couch, refusing to relax. Her hands gripped at the leather-like material underneath her, causing her knuckles to turn white at the force of her hold. She only relinquished her grasp when the russet alien murmured his goodbyes and the gray one returned to his previous post.

Her eyes trailed the turian warily, her jaw clenched as the male made himself comfortable and raised his azure gaze to her own. He observed her for a few seconds before he turned to one of his arms and tapped at something. Jane's eyes widened when an orange glow engulfed his arm. The turian, oblivious to his surprised ward, started to tap at some buttons on the orange thing.

"What is that?"

The turian's head snapped up at the sound of her voice, and Jane suppressed the urge to flinch at the sudden movement.

"This?" His double toned voice asked as he tilted his head to the device on his arm.

Jane nodded.

"It's an omnitool."

The woman pondered his answer for a few moments before opening her mouth and asking,"What does it do?"

Her guard contemplated his answer before he replied,"It's a device that...has multiple purposes. Communicating, researching, hacking...anything really."

"Ah..." Jane was unsure of what else she should say, so she turned back to the window, watching space once more unfurl before her eyes.

* * *

Days passed. Or that's what it felt like anyway. There was no way of telling time, so Jane couldn't precisely say how long she had been sitting in the room that had become her new prison. Hours appeared long and unending though, from either boredom or anxiety she couldn't tell.

Over the last few days, she had tentatively started to talk with Vakarian, her turian warden. A word or two would be mentioned, and sometimes full-fledged conversation sparked. It filled the long gaps of boredom when Jane was not brooding, but every time they spoke to one another she felt a stab of guilt. She was fraternizing with the enemy of her entire species, and it made her feel traitorous. But she was a social person, and not talking to anyone for a prolong amount of time was almost painful for her. _Besides_, she reasoned to herself whenever her guilt pricked at her, _I need a way to pass the time._

And pass the time they did. It was astonishing at how relaxed she was becoming around the alien. True she still jumped and flinched at his sudden movements, and she still felt nervous around him, but she was making progress. She was unsure how she felt about the prospect of feeling comfortable around a turian; to be honest, she didn't really_ want_ to know.

Jane was snapped from her thoughts when the same being she was thinking of walked past her. She watched in silence, quickly she realizing her guard was leaving when he reached the door. Vakarian hadn't left the apartment since they had both been stationed here, so she was a little caught off guard that he was leaving now.

The turian paused from punching in the code that would unlock the door and looked over his shoulder to give Jane cursory glance. "I will be, uh, right back. Don't move." He didn't wait for an answer. A few seconds later and the door was swishing shut and locking once more.

The woman stood slowly from her perch and took a few uneasy steps toward the kitchen. A thousand thoughts raced through her mind at that moment. Her steps were light as she made her way to a window hanging over the sink. When she reached the it, she placed one hand on the counter and reached the other to move aside the curtain hanging limply in front of porthole.

The window overlooked a stretch of hallway, and she was able to see Vakarian as he made his way down the opposite way they had originally come. His sharp edged form was soon out of sight, and Jane waited a few heartbeats to make sure the blue-faced male had truly left before letting the curtain fall back into place. Her mind drew a blank as it processed that she was finally alone after so long of constantly being monitored.

Her hand came up to comb through her tangled and greasy hair. A faint feeling of disgust at her lack of cleanliness fluttered through her mind, but it was soon overrun with a certain sense of freedom she had not felt before.

Jane quickly made her way to the door, only thinking of how she could get out. She was no technological expert; she had to try to open that door. She just knew she had to get out of there.

The redhead strained her ears to hear anything but her faint breathing and footsteps. She was relieved that all was silent and crouched before the lock. She reach out a hand and forced herself to try to remember the motions that Vakarian had used to unlock the door. The wrong combinations caused the lock to buzz almost too loudly, and Jane cringed at the sudden noises. After every mishap, she took care to make sure nothing was coming to check on the locked door. When she heard no rushed running or anything else that would signal her turian or others were coming, she would continue to try to unlock the door.

It seemed like an eternity had passed when finally the ruby holo-lock turn emerald. Jane stood up with unconcealed joy, a large grin tuggingat her lips. She admired her handiwork for a few seconds. Remembering that she was on borrowed time, she hastily opened the door and took a step outside.

The floor beneath her shoeless feet was much colder than she remembered. A sharp hiss caused her head to turn and she watched the door slide shut behind her, the lock turning a pale orange instead of the red she had grown accustomed to.

Jane then felt adrenaline spike through her veins at the sudden realization that she was out in the open in a hostile environment with no protection. Her chest grew tight with fear, her heart beating faster than it had been previously.

Swallowing down her fear, she turned her head to the right: the way to what she could guess was the docking areas for ships. A quick plan formulated in her mind. Her eyes swept down the other side of the hallway to make sure nothing was coming towards her before she pressed herself against wall and padded silently toward her destination.

When she got to a junction, she held her breath and peeked around the corner. A soft breath of relief exited her lungs when she didn't spot any turians, and she quickly scurried down to the next corridor.

She kept going onward in this manner, mindful of her every movement. Surprisingly Jane only saw the occasional guard (she guessed they were guards considering the wore a uniform and had a firearm hanging from a belt strung to their waists) stationed around the corner, and no other aliens stalking the halls. She figured it was the ship's night cycle, or the slew of turians she had seen before were no longer aboard the station. Whatever the case, the redhead thanked God for her luck, and prayed it would continue.

Many twists, turns, and dead ends later, she arrived to the place she had been looking for.

The docking bay was much more crowded than the halls she had been in. Turians of all shapes and sizes crowded the large expanse just around the corner. The sudden sight of the rabble of beings caused Jane to quickly jerk back behind the wall the hid her from their view. Her resolve faltered at the thought of sneaking past potentially dangerous aliens.

Just as she reinforced her will with the desire of freedom, something wrapped around her mouth and waist, yanking her back into an armored body. Jane gave a muffled shriek and started to flail in the tightening grasp of the being holding her.

A sharp hiss brushed past her ear, causing her to go still and the hairs on the back of her neck to stand on end. "What do you think you're doing?"

She bit her tongue to keep herself from making anymore noises as the male she had grown familiar with for the past few days dragged her further back into the shadows. When they were completely out of sight from the docking bay, Vakarian twisted Jane around and gripped her upper arms.

"Do you know how stupid and reckless you were being?" demanded the blue-faced turian, his mandibles fluttering.

Jane, still pale from the fear of being caught, shakily replied,"Really reckless and stupid?"

"Exactly! Do you know what could have happened if you got caught? Not only would you be taken to the high-security Prisoner of War cells, you'd be locked up in solitary for escaping and roaming the station! Not to mention Nihlus would have my head for not keeping an eye on you! Spirits, Jane, I told you to stay put, and yet I find you out and about, heading to one of the more populated areas on the station. Do you not realize what could've happened to you? Not just with the solitary, but with those turians out there? They'd most likely attack you; with no mercy. Not everyone is as mild tempered as I am, and many of those people out there have lost brothers and sisters- in-arms from this war; many are most likely holding grudges against your kind."

The human stayed silent through Vakarian's tirade, a sudden annoyance surging through her. She shook off his hands and squared her shoulders, standing up as straight as she could. A glare set itself upon her face as she prepared herself for a rebuttal. Often times when she had gotten in trouble as a child and was reprimed, she tended to slouch and duck her head. Most of the time her parents would berate her for this behaviour and tended to bark at her to straighten her posture. She could just hear the approval in the ghosts of their voices as she stared Vakarian straight in the eye as he doled out his scolding.

When his speech was finished, Jane swiftly spat out,"I understand that, Vakarian, but I know exactly what I was getting into. I may appear naïve, but I am far from it. I know I was risking my life. I know I was being extremely reckless. You know what though? I'd rather take my chances and die than just sit by and let an opportunity like the one you gave me go by. Besides I had a plan; it's not like I was going in unprepared. You should remember that you're not the only military raised person. Now are you done scolding me? I'd like to go back to my prison since I've already been caught."

Vakarian looked startled at her outburst. Jane gestured for him to hurry up and start walking, causing the male to snap out of his brief stupor and make his way back to the apartment. The walk was tense, but they did not encounter any other people, which Jane supposed could be counted as a good thing. When they entered the apartment, Jane made her way to the couch, and Vakarian to his chair. The alien said nothing as he made himself comfortable and started to fiddle with his omnitool, ignoring everything but the orange device around his arm.

Jane glanced at the male, realizing that he was acting more distant than she could ever recall him being. She sighed and turned to prop her elbow on the couch's arm, cradling her cheek in her cupped palm.

A bleak though crossed her mind. She probably wasn't going to be left alone ever again. And she probably won't have another chance to escape.

* * *

The beeping was starting to become intolerable. It had started earlier that night, and yet it was still going strong ten hours later. It didn't even seem to be taking any breaks, and if it has been, Nihlus should couldn't tell. He had suffered from the irksome sound all through the night, and the paperwork he had been working on did not improve his mood.

He was sitting at his desk, two of his claws tapping against the wood as he stared at the device sitting oh so innocently before him. His tapping was in tune with the beeping that stubbornly clung to the device, and the red turian was inches away from crushing the infernal thing. But he couldn't. It was something he could use. Or that was the excuse he had made earlier. He was starting to doubt that though.

_Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep._

"Will you just _shut up_?" growled Nihlus as he glared at the device.

_Beep. Beep. Beep._

If looks could cause explosions, the annoying tool would've rivaled something close to the aftermath of an atomic bomb. The white-faced male breathed roughly through his nose, and turned back to the report he was currently working on.

_Beep. Beep. Bee-_

It stopped.

Nihlus froze and turned his head to stare suspiciously at the tool. When nothing else sounded from it, he reached forward and grabbed at it.

He studied the device, mentally scoffing at the almost primitive technology it possessed. After searching for it, he found a button that activated the device. A short beep sounded followed by a voice that caused the russet turian's hackles to rise.

_"Jane, are you there? Jane don't worry. I'm gathering a team, and we're going to find you and get you out of whatever mess you're in, you hear me? I-"_

the transmission broke off and Nihlus stared blankly at the communication device, the gears in his head spinning at a rapid pace.

It seemed he didn't have as much time as he thought he did.


	5. Four: Predators and Prey

**IV. Predators and Prey**

_"It looked as if a night of dark intent was coming, and not only a night, an age. Someone had better be prepared for rage..." _

― Robert Frost, Once by the Pacific

* * *

The planet's dense and humid forests were bursts with fauna, and the constant sound of life buzzed absently in Saren's ears as he stalked silently toward his target. His steps were light, barely whispering against the plants and twigs littering the ground. His eyes were narrowed and constantly darting around, making sure nothing would give away his position. In front of him resided a camp bustling with activity. All the turian could perceive as he crept closer the camp was the sound of the humans' humming speech and the crunch of leaves under foot. Even the creatures in the trees were soon drowned out.

When he was on the edge of the camp, he crouched down behind a large leafy plant. Saren's bright eyes flitted around the area, watching as the beings before him went about their routine. His hands fluttered eagerly around his waist, fondling the pistols strapped there. They all looked so...vulnerable. They were just so oblivious to everything; it was almost laughable.

He continued his spying, the mission's objective flashing through his mind. Nihlus hadn't been specific on what he was to do. In fact, what instructions that were given to him were so vague, they almost seemed rushed. He was to travel to this mediocre establishment before him and obtain the Alliance's next move. Nothing more, nothing less. There were no specifications on how he was to go about this, not that the silver male cared. He was known for getting the job done no matter what, and this mission was no different.

Deciding that he better get a more substantial view of the camp before engaging in his next move, Saren started to circle around the perimeter. Barely three minute had passed before he was done scouting out the outer edges. This only made the turian want to smirk in satisfaction: the humans were in fewer numbers than he had anticipated.

This was going to be almost too easy.

With deadly silence, the male crept forward, making sure he was out of sight. He didn't have to try too hard seeing as most of the camp's population seemed ignorant of the forests surrounding them. One or two would peer his way, but Saren would quickly dart behind a portable building and wait until he was all clear.

Honestly, it was as if they were _begging_ to be infiltrated.

It wasn't until he heard a loud and frightened gasp that he knew he'd been spotted. His head snapped to the unexpected sound to see a scrawny looking human female with a stack of datapads clasped to her chest and shaking uncontrollably. The devices in her hand were released unexpectedly, causing them to clatter rather loudly to the ground. Both parties were silent and paused for a few short seconds before Saren reached for his pistol and quickly shot the human in the throat. A gurgling sound filled his ears as she crumpled.

After that all hell broke loose.

Panicked voices surrounded Saren as he quickly ducked behind the nearest building. Heavy footsteps alerted the turian to the humans coming towards him, and he peered around the corner, aiming. One of the soldiers running at him collapsed, and the others scattered to hide behind the nearest cover.

Saren was quick to dash out into the open and point his pistol at the closest human, shooting itl point blank in the head. The body hadn't even hit the ground when a barrage of gunfire rained down on him. The silver turian overstepped the human corpse, taking over the given coverage it once occupied.

The bullets continued to pelt at his shelter, and Saren was quick to take advantage whenever there was gap in the shooting by looking up and picking off the soldiers one by one.

At last the rest of the opposing humans fell, and Saren stalked out from behind his cover. A disturbing quietness covered the once loud camp. Saren could only conclude that survivors had fled the scene and into the forest.

He snorted at the notion. He wouldn't put it past them; humans were such a cowardly species.

Ignoring his thoughts, the silver turian made his way to the center of the camp, heading to the building he deduced once belonged to the leader of this establishment.

The door swished open after easily being hacked through with his omnitool and Saren entered. The small cabin-like structure was dim; the only light provided by the uncovered windows dotting the walls. He briskly walked forward and to the computer sitting unguarded at a desk. The screen lit his features as he expertly sifted through the data. Minutes passed and Saren was unable to find anything that they didn't already know. A growled filled the room as he pushed off the computer and made his way to exit the building. Just as he was passing a door he hadn't bothered to check, he heard a whimper that caused him to stop.

Saren's luminescent orbs narrowed and one of his hands landed on the handle his pistol. The sound of frantic scurrying filled his ears just as the locked door easily slid open. A scrawny human male with sparse hair and odd brown dots covering his face stared horrified at Saren as he entered the room.

"Wha-wh-what do you want?!" Cried the human while licking his bottom lip and eying the turian's hand on the gun.

Saren didn't say anything; instead he took a step forward, causing the frightened being before him to scramble further away from him. The previous irritation from before coupled with his general hate for humanity caused him to take another step into the room.

"I-I don't have anything! I swear! I was just the assistant! I'm not any harm to you!"

A few more calculated steps later and the human was cornered.

"I can be a spy for you! I-if you let me live, I could help you gather all the intel you'd ever need. J-ju-just don't kill me!"

The gun Saren was grasping was slowly sliding out of it's holster, causing the man on the floor to have tears flowing down his face.

"P-plea-"

A loud bang interrupted the unfinished word, and Saren watched as the body slumped to the floor, a bloody hole in the middle of his forehead. Ruby blood pooled around the corpse, slowly inching toward Saren as he turned around.

"I don't appreciate traitors."

* * *

John sighed. The Kodiak shuttle shuddered under his feet, signaling that they had finally entered the planet's atmosphere.

His teammates glanced uncomfortably at each other before their eyes flickered back to their silent commander.

"So what do you think happened?" Kaidan inquired, keeping his tone light.

Ashley, who was leaning against the wall, crossed her arms. "I'm sure a couple aliens attacked the place. I wouldn't put it past them."

Both glanced at John, a tad concerned when he didn't even acknowledge their stares. The commander had been like a living statue for almost two weeks now, and it was starting to cause concern within his crew. Rumors went around claiming that the attack on Vancouver resulted in John's sister being kidnapped, and in some cases, killed. Ashley and Kaidan knew better than to trust scuttlebutt, but the lingering thoughts of this being true still haunted them. It would explain why the man was being so stoic. From what little they knew of John, one thing stuck out and that was he was incredibly close to his sister.

"Well whatever happened, we'll eventually find out," murmured Kaidan, looking away from his commander and to the wall opposite of him.

The shuttle slowed and was soon hovering over the clearing that held the camp. John waited for the door to open and then hopped out, his teammates quickly following after. When they were all standing, the Kodiak started to ascend, leaving the three-man team to their own devices..

The trio turned their attention to the eerily silent camp. John reached behind his back and grabbed at the assault rifle strapped there. "Williams, check to perimeter; see if you can find any survivors. Alenko, come with me."

The two soldiers gave a nod and went off to their respective posts. John didn't wait up for Kaidan; instead he jogged into the establishment, his gun ready and his finger hovering over the trigger.

The duo turned the corner, and was greeted with the macabre scene of corpses littering the ground. John stopped abruptly, his eyes narrowed and his grip on his gun tightening. Kaidan slowed but didn't pause, making his way to one of the bodies. He crouched down, checking the corpse's pulse. After few seconds passed, the dark haired man looked up at his commander, a blank look pasted on his face. A slight shake of the head was all John needed to have to know that the person was dead.

Kaidan straightened himself. "Do you want me to check the others...?"

John looked away from the lieutenant and gazed at the other bodies. He gave a small nod before he turned back to waiting man. "I'll go on ahead and see what I find out."

The commander stepped over the corpses and made his way around the camp, leaving Kaidan to check for any signs of life. John made his way to one of the temporarily set up buildings and opened the unlocked door. The door gave a hiss as pressurized air was released, revealing a room that was dim. From what he could tell the only light come from a window. He looked around the large room, spying a bed in the corner with an overturned nightstand next to it. The floor, he noticed, was covered with scattered clothes and various other items. A frown settled on his features as he took a few steps into the room. A kitchenette held nothing but dirty dishes. Not giving up, John walked over to the only other door in the building besides the one he just came through, and opened it. Nothing but neatly hanged clothes greeted stared silently at the closet before turning around and making his way back outside. A few bleak thoughts of there being no survivors circled his mind, but he quickly pushed them back.

Once he was back outside, John swiftly continued his search for civilians. He got the same results everytime. He'd walk inside the buildings, expecting some form of life to pop out only to find overturned tables and haphazardly thrown objects littering the floor. It was starting to become frustrating.

Finally though, he caught a break.

"Hey, Skipper, I found someone. I think you should come find me. I'm sending you my location."

John peered at the digital map on his wrist communicator. He quickly memorized the location set there and set out to the coordinates location. When he arrived at his destination, he felt the anxiousness that had been plaguing his mind dissipate.

In front of him was a man squatting on the ground, his arms encircling himself. His hair was buzzed, unable to hide the multitude of thin scratches adorning his face and head. His cloths, standard fatigues, were ripped, a twig or two snared in the torn fabric. Ashley was crouched just beside him, her hand gently placed on the man's shoulder. Her lips were moving; possibly murmuring comforting words to the distressed person beside her.

The raven haired woman glanced up and gave a slight nod to her commander. The male next to her looked up, his dark eyes scrutinizing John. "Is... this him?" Inquired the man, looking back at Ashley. She gave a nod of affirmation.

John watched the man's legs shake as he struggled to get up. Ashley moved her hand to his arm, but he shrugged it off. He glanced briefly at the woman before he hobbled over to John. When he stood a few feet away, he gave a respectful salute. "Commander."

"At ease, soldier. What is your name?"

The man licked his lips, looking at John head on. "Nathaniel Cadly, sir."

"Can you tell me what happened here, Cadly?" Shepard asked, crossing his arms and shifting his weight to a more comfortable position. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Ashley greeting Kaidan.

Cadly fiddled with his hands. A sudden tension filled the air as he gathered his wits. Finally he faintly whispered, "A...a turian attacked us."

Kaidan raised an eyebrow. "Only one turian?"

Cadly gave a nod.

Ashley snorted, causing everyone's eyes dart over at her. She had her arms crossed, and her an incredulous look plastered on her face. "You're telling me one turian caused a fully equipped army camp to scatter and get slaughtered?"

"I know it sounds obscure, but it's true!" An angered look overcame Cadly's face. "It came out of nowhere. I'd been patrolling the camp when I had suddenly heard a gunshot. I had went on to investigate the sound with some of the other recruits when there was more gunshots. I...I lost my nerve and turned around only to find that the whole camp was in chaos. I hid inside a building until all I could hear was the sound of my own the window I could see outside, but I was too scared to act on anything as I watched people run.

"After that, thinking everyone had either been killed off or ran. I wasn't going to stay there, so I tried to sneak out of my hiding place. When I got to the door though, I spotted a turian and quickly hid myself. The thing was freaky. It had this weird tech on its face, and its eyes...I felt like the Devil himself was in them.

"I was surprised that it didn't see me. I expected more to be with it, but when I heard the damn thing leave, there was no other aliens. I finally left my spot and scouted the camp. I couldn't find anyone, only dead bodies. Not any other turian bodies...just human. I got even more scared and I ran back to where I had hidden and stayed there until you guys came. Man, I just couldn't do it. I had my pistol with me. I could've shot the damn thing. But did I? No. I was too scared." Cadly looked up at Shepard and his team, his voice hysterical, "Why couldn't I do it? Why couldn't I kill it?"

After that, the man became incoherent. Ashley pushed past her commander and made her way to the hysterical soldier, attempting to calm him down. As John's gunnery chief attempted to soothe the distressed man, John felt his mind whirl with the information that had been given to him. Could it be possible that only one turian soldier did this? He couldn't be sure, seeing as the man before him was obviously beyond coherency-not to mention he had been absent most of the attack.

Still, eerie description of the turian caused a small flash of recognition in his mind. He could recall seeing a turian with much the same description, but the memory was too faint for him to be positive. Whatever the case, he needed to file this information away and look at it for future reference seeing as it might help him later.

First though, he had to look for the survivors that could be taking refuge within the forest. He looked over at Kaidan and jerked his head to the trees. The staff lieutenant nodded at the tacit command and followed John.

* * *

_Yeah, I know. Not very long; not very...plot developing. It was they best I could do with this chapter. Next chapter though, I promise it will be longer and more developing for the story. Anywho, I hope you at least like this filler...because that's what this is. Reviews are much appreciated. _


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